The different City Councils, since their initiation, have each and all done the best they could to improve the streets and render things more comfortable for the inhabitants. Mistakes have undoubtedly been made, but these are inseparable from all sublunary undertakings. Some of these have been gross blunders, and entailed large expenses, but with the buoyancy of a new life they were soon condoned.
The city thoroughfares had the primary claim, so every effort was made to get the proper levels and formation, which, being done, footpaths and kerbing speedily followed; so that in the words of an old identity in 1870, who had for a short time been an absentee, "you can walk frae ae end o' the town tae the ither without filing yer shoon." A considerable amount has still to be done before the plans are completed, and many section-owners will be put to large cost to reduce their property to the street level. It would be tedious to give details of the costs of city works up to this period; enough will be said when it is stated that the City Surveyor in 1878 estimated, in reply to a resolution of the Council asking for the cost of "works that ought to be undertaken in each ward, in order to complete the formation of streets and footpaths, and to provide for surface drainage," also for "the extension of underground sewerage for each ward, in order to complete a thorough system of drainage for the city,"—that "to complete the works required under the first paragraph of the resolution will require a total expenditure of £97,837, and the expenditure for underground sewers, of £44,000; being a total of £141,873." This, be it remembered, was additional to the large sums previously expended. However, the work of formation has now been carried out nearly to a successful completion.
The Gas Works threatened for a time to be a white elephant in the hands of the Corporation, and a source of lasting regret to the inhabitants that ever they had fallen into the hands of the municipality. Recriminations bitter and biting were made in the Council Chambers and in the Press. A solution was eventually discovered, when, by the substitution of Mr Graham as manager, the price has been reduced, the quality improved, the works renovated, and after all done, a handsome surplus accrues to the Corporation funds as profit revenue.
